The comicbook Mike Carey and I have been conjuring up is starting it's run in comicbook stores around the country September 20 2006..."Wetworks:Worldstorm". This will be an ongoing "rant" exclusively pertaining to the creative process of the art and story. This endeavors sole purpose is to let comicbook fans obtain an insiders look into the creative and fun job of creating a modern comicbook.

Friday, September 22, 2006

A personal note to Wetworks:Team #1 fans...

The time Jim brought up the idea to do Wetworks again to the time we actually laid anything to paper was a long year of going thru many variations of where Wetworks could go. It was real hard because alot of the ideas were good but I couldn't make sense with my own mind how to justify bringing the team back. Jim gave no limits to the book saying we could do whatever we wanted to do, meaning rewrite history if we wanted.

The basic problem was I couldn't take what was left of the old team because there basically was nothing left. So going back to the time right before the symbiotes started to change them was the only alternative at the time (this was before Carey). But that still left a big question mark. That version of the team was too powerful, especially with Dane's hibernating psi-power. Since we had the Authority in the Universe the question always crept up if something bad enough happened that needed Wetworks type fire power then how could they get to it before the Authority got their hands into it. Wouldn't happen in that universe. We somehow needed a small event that would flow under The Authority's (and now) The Wildcats radar. But a small event that would somehow need a big team like Wetworks. So again Wetworks coming back made no sense.

Then Carey came in with his idea (spoiler in another post "Liquid Vapor#1) and I thought great start the book out with a seemingly small matter that the government deems Dane is ultimately qualified for, the engagement of Vampires. And all he askes for is the revival of the dead Mother-One cyborg. Simple track down one bad guy and get Mother-One back, good trade. All this set up in sneak peek issues of the past year or so. (maybe I should re-publish them here for clarity's sake)) Well the simple mission turns to bad to big to humoungously tragic. Remember this seemed a small matter so he had a small team assembled for this, less a strike team than a specialty team. Towards the end of the ten issue story arch Dane will need much more fire power. Wonder who that is?

So as set up in sneak peek issues there is a scene where Dane is talking to the Government about this mission for him and standing quietly in the background are two leather strapped gaurds. A male and a female. The color scheme of the desert scene was yellow to hide the fact that these two wore gold symbiotes. Yup they were none other than "Jester" and "Pilgrim" from Team #1. Insinuating along with the bowling ball helmeted soldiers in the other sneak peek that Dane also had human soldiers assembled around him too. This all hinting at the tale that Dane had used his vast resources and network from all of his years in service to form his own group, and yes that meant the cornerstone to his group would be Wetworks Team #1. The ones the old fans are asking about and the ones the new fans don't know anything about yet.

So for that immediate question of will we see the old team again? The answer is yes they are intact, complete, and are getting ready by doing push-ups and playing Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter in the background of the events of the first arc's. Tho' I must ask you all for patience. Mike Carey has devised an all consuming tale and some mighty fine new characters for us all to sink our teeth into. I am so confident of Carey's prowess that I have given him ten issues to introduce us to this new status quo. If you like what we did before wait til you see the trip Mike has in store for us. He has many of the same type of ideas Brandon and I had but his execution is much more grand and soild and therefore needs its own pace.

So for the old fans glad you're here and stay in tuned to meet some fantastic new characters and for the wait we will reward you with old dear friends...

Whilce it is great to see you back in a monthly fashion and I am glad it is with Wetworks. You were both missed greatly and the wait for this new series was tough but after reading issue 1 it was worth it.

What are your plans for the art? Will you be doing as many as you can or just the first 12 or so? I hope you stick around for as long as possible on this new series, it's just not the same with someone else drawing your characters.

It is great that you started a blog as well, it is a great motivational tool! Keep up the good work and don't stop drawing!!!!!

The world of Wetworks today has an uneasy truce with the Vampire nation and the Night Tribes. They are still reeling from the death of the Blood Queen and are still bikering internally about who is better suited to take over for the dead Queen. So they are in disaray and aren't much of a force right now.

But individual groups are another thing. Also Mike's main job (and his forte) is to flesh out the races of the Night Tribes and to bring to them a "reality" that comes from his vast knowledge and imagination dealing with these creatures...so he is expanding our meaning of Night Tribes and giving the whole group more structure...

HelloooMan, Wetworks 1, wow! Although i still miss the old guys (Grail & Jester especially) its nice to see the story is fresh and the art? Too damn good :) Being a fellow UK dweller i agree with Russ in that we need you to come over, it would be great to talk in person, how come the old wildstorm tours used to always bi-pass us? Ah well, never mind its just great to have your art back on a regular basis!! Will prob drop another line to comcast add to request some commissions to go along with the archangel & witchblade (which is incredibly fantastic)ones you did for me last year (both have centre stage on my wall). Just wanted to say thanks again & thanks for being an incredible inspiration as ever.Nick(eagerly awaiting issue 2!!)

much to my initial delight of seeing Wetworks back on the shelves. i recall my reason why i discontinued reading the rest of the first batch of wetworks.

there was no more whilce. much to my dissatisfaction. and i felt, that the story was progessing to slowly. i bought all the issues until the 18th. i even bought the variant covers together with the regular covers.

i took a look at the avalon series of STONE...also by whilce...and that, too, didn't last long.

what i am saying, whilce, is that you have some fans (particularly, those here in the Philippines)who would like to see you in action more and, hopefully, sticking with a project til the end.

i would love to see more of your work...seeing Joel Salvador Alonday III (a.k.a. Grail) in this new batch of wetworks would also be kick-ass.

uhm just one question whilce from a fellow "pinoy" will my all time favorite wetworks character jin the team again? obviously it Co. Joel Alonday "Grail" i hope he could JOIN the TEAM AGAIN!!!!! ^^ he's one of the reasons why i read wetworks in the first place besides the story, anyways do you know it the assassin one figure is still available here in the philippines? anyone selling one the blue variant i badly need it could you sell me your assassin one figure whilce? thanks -

Thanx for the words and yes as reported eslewhere I have six issues of Wetworks under the belt and working on the fourth issue of Batman so you will see a steady flow of work, and for a couple of months maybe too much stuff...we made a decision here that because I still have health issues everything we announce will be a sure thing done in advanced...

i like your depiction of the tikbalang in STONE, by the way. interestingly enough, at the time of the comic's release, i was reading this book by Maximo Valerio (if memory serves me right) "Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology" written in the 1920's. From last i heard, it was under Phoenix Publishing house...but i dont know if they reprinted it. very interesting stuff about pinoy monsters and ghosts.

oops...got carried away...

i wish you all the best. stay healthy and keep your hands drawing for us. :)

That book sounds interesting. My only real dissappointment when doing research for Tikbalangs and such was I couldn't find something like you mentioned. I wanted to find some definitive descriptions of these creatures. Still am searching so will try to track this book down. One of my dream projects is to draw a detailed coffe book depicting all of our myths and legends...

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About Me

I love the process of creating stories and characters. I could (and do) spent most of my time in my favorite pastime "World biulding" That is creating or re-creating worlds for characters to wallow in.